Mimosa diplotricha from Hooghly

[surajit koley]

Sir,

I asked myself -

1. "Is it Mimosa pudica?"
2. "Is it sensitive?"
3. "Is this an illusion?"

When i saw this plant i was sure that it was Mimosa pudica. But when i touched it, it didn't response! I touched again, this time harder, but it didn't response. I hit it with my plastic scale on its highly prickled stem and it appeared to me that it did response! Or was it an illusion, i asked myself.

As i was going through my old records of Mimosa pudica i realized that it was not the same plant. Net search gave me Mimosa himalayana. I was about to id this plant with the same. But searched further and found Mimosa diplotricha at FoC - http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242332757.

I think this is Mimosa diplotricha var. diplotricha as in FoC - http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=250019707.

Species : Mimosa diplotricha var. diplotricha

Habit & Habitat : shrub, about 6.5 feet, beside railway track

Date : 01-Sept.-2012, 4.30 P.M.

Place : Baruipara (Hooghly)

ID help :

• http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=120751
  
• http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242332757
  
• http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/4790_7289.htm
  
• http://www.hear.org/pier/species/mimosa_diplotricha.htm
  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimosa_diplotricha
  
• FoP doesn't feature this plant - http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=120751

Regards,

surajit

[Gurcharan Singh]

Surajit ji

It would have to much easier for us if you had given the characters on the basis  of which you rejected M. himalayana and chose M. diplotricha.

On the basis of preliminary comparison your plant does not appear M. diplotrich, in which there are generally more than 20 pairs of leaflets and latter are densely silky. 

One important thing to note is that your first plant is much different from your other photographs, in both number of pinnae, number of leaflets and flower colour. I fear they may be two different species. The first has nearly 10 pairs of pinnae and 11-12 pairs of leaflets.with much longer leaves. The other seems to have 5-7 pairs of pinnae  and 10-12 pairs of leaflets.

Both M. rubicaulis and M. himalayana (often treated under one species) are recognised as distinct species by the Plant List and Monograph on Indian Mimosa by Gamble. Former has usually 4-6 pairs of pinnae and 10-15 pairs of leaflets. Latter has 8-12 pairs of pinnae and 16-20 pairs of leaflets. Your plant (except first) seem to be fitting M. rubicailis. 

I am attaching the paper for your reference.

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Dr. Gurcharan Singh

Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089

http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ 
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

[surajit koley]

Sir,

Thank you very much for elaborating on Mimosa sp.

I am not sure if the attached pictures were of the same plant.

There were a small community at that place, spreading along railway tracks and 100 meters away from the railway tracks, inside a private unused land, inaccessible to me.

I took more than 50 pictures from 3 plants lined in a series, having a space of about 20 to 30 feet between each other, along the rail tracks. Of these 3 plants, the first two were beyond my reach and i could take only distant shots with my 5x (200mm) zoom. I could access a branch of the 3rd plant and took closer photographs.

I regret that i didn't record any leaf, leaflet, petiole, peduncle measurements and could not find any fruit.

It was a cloudy day with high wind and the sun played hide & seek. Colour variation in attached photographs resulted from variable intensity of sunlight and controlled aperture setting by myself.

The description of Mimosa diplotricha available in the sites i cited in my post is confusing. An example : 11 to 30 pairs of leaflets on each of 3 to 10 pairs of pinnae. However, one site states leaflets sessile, opposite, lanceolate, acute - http://www.hear.org/pier/species/mimosa_diplotricha.htm, whereas leaflets in my post, i think, not acute.

I very much wanted to ID this plant as M. himalayana, but nowhere i could found that M. himalayana is moderately sensitive, even in any thread in the group posts i browsed :-

1. https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/zG9JSldfGrM/discussion
   
2. https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/oZG_RHlyZsE/discussion
   
3. https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/bg07F2ITOXY/discussion
   
4. https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/rdS2y0wu_jw/discussion
   
5. https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/N8k8RXeySio/discussion
   

One thread in group informs M. himalayana is a small tree, my plant is not.

Attaching larger pictures of the same plant or plants.

If Mimosa himalayana is a sensitive plant then my species is Mimosa himalayana.

Thank you once again,

Regards,

surajit

[jmgarg1]

Forwarding again for Id confirmation or otherwise please.

Some earlier relevant feedback:

Surajit ji It would have to much easier for us if you had given the characters on the basis  of which you rejected M. himalayana and chose M. diplotricha.

On the basis of preliminary comparison your plant does not appear M. diplotrich, in which there are generally more than 20 pairs of leaflets and latter are densely silky. One important thing to note is that your first plant is much different from your other photographs, in both number of pinnae, number of leaflets and flower colour. I fear they may be two different species. The first has nearly 10 pairs of pinnae and 11-12 pairs of leaflets.with much longer leaves. The other seems to have 5-7 pairs of pinnae  and 10-12 pairs of leaflets. Both M. rubicaulis and M. himalayana (often treated under one species) are recognised as distinct species by the Plant List and Monograph on Indian Mimosa by Gamble. Former has usually 4-6 pairs of pinnae and 10-15 pairs of leaflets. Latter has 8-12 pairs of pinnae and 16-20 pairs of leaflets. Your plant (except first) seem to be fitting M. rubicailis.

I am attaching the paper for your reference.- from Singh ji.

Thank you very much for elaborating on Mimosa sp. I am not sure if the attached pictures were of the same plant. There were a small community at that place, spreading along railway tracks and 100 meters away from the railway tracks, inside a private unused land, inaccessible to me. I took more than 50 pictures from 3 plants lined in a series, having a space of about 20 to 30 feet between each other, along the rail tracks. Of these 3 plants, the first two were beyond my reach and i could take only distant shots with my 5x (200mm) zoom. I could access a branch of the 3rd plant and took closer photographs. I regret that i didn't record any leaf, leaflet, petiole, peduncle measurements and could not find any fruit. It was a cloudy day with high wind and the sun played hide & seek. Colour variation in attached photographs resulted from variable intensity of sunlight and controlled aperture setting by myself. The description of Mimosa diplotricha available in the sites i cited in my post is confusing. An example : 11 to 30 pairs of leaflets on each of 3 to 10 pairs of pinnae. However, one site states leaflets sessile, opposite, lanceolate, acute - http://www.hear.org/pier/species/mimosa_diplotricha.htm, whereas leaflets in my post, i think, not acute. I very much wanted to ID this plant as M. himalayana, but nowhere i could found that M. himalayana is moderately sensitive, even in any thread in the group posts i browsed :- https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/zG9JSldfGrM/discussion https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/oZG_RHlyZsE/discussion https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/bg07F2ITOXY/discussion https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/rdS2y0wu_jw/discussion https://groups.google.com/d/topic/indiantreepix/N8k8RXeySio/discussion One thread in group informs M. himalayana is a small tree, my plant is not. Attaching larger pictures of the same plant or plants. If Mimosa himalayana is a sensitive plant then my species is Mimosa himalayana. Thank you once again, Regards, surajit

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1

'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna'
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[jmgarg1]

A reply:

"DearSurajit Our first work in CAL next is checking mimosa in  Herabriumnext Gdn office in top  floor and in hall two where type section etc is kept.this is another example for independent KYDIANA FOR SUCH items on geogrphical elementS of taxonomy.,Unless I see the whole world in Herabrium I dont publish any speciEs as species is not based on just one specimen SO I DID NOT PUBLISH ANY SPECIES AT ALL -when a plant by railwaytrack can be from source of Sunflower or tobcco plantation in Mexico which we are growing here..Just inone day a seed can be taken to Sandieg o! at extreme west from Hoogly in East .Good observations using all senses
Di d yougointo details of M,himalayn and M.diplotricha an note on paper with pen.

KeepPollunin and stainton with youas Williams behind it is simple and ecellent botanist at BM I met.I hve to prepare a paperon Kydia
Roxb inindia and also on Populus Linnwhich I worke inBM whenWilliams wa alive.William Stern Librarianand authority onSolanacae and Lililiacea . " from Datla CS Raju ji.

[surajit koley]

Sir,

Thank you once again.

I am sorry that data deficiency may plague this species to identify it to species level.

Regards,

surajit

[surajit koley]

Sir,

I will try to visit the place once again to collect specimen there and record data on sizes of leaves, leaflets etc.

Thank you & Regards,

surajit

[surajit koley]

Sir,

I have visited and recorded fresh pictures of this plant today, at Baruipara (Hooghly). I am attaching those images in two mails, for their bigger sizes, so as to study various features of this species.

I repeat that this plant is sensitive as can be seen in the first two pictures, taken within a gap of less than 1 minute.

Thank you & Regards,

surajit

[surajit koley]

Sir,

Attaching rest of the images....

[jmgarg1]

For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group: http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix (more than 1980 members & 1,33,000 messages on 30/9/12) or Efloraofindia website: https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/ (with a species database of more than 7500 species).

[surajit koley]

Thank you once again Garg Sir.

Regards,

surajit